Hypertension in pregnancy and related health outcome in European Ethnic minorities

According to the data provided by the Global Health Observatory of the World Health Organization, high maternal and associated neonatal mortality rates persist despite considerable efforts from international organizations, governments, development partners, and others. The primary causes of death are hypertension, haemorrhage, infections, and indirect causes, mostly due to interaction between pre-existing medical conditions and pregnancy. It is now evident that disparities in pregnancy and child birth are also present among minority groups living in Europe. Apart from the obvious, cultural, and socioeconomic factors and different priorities in health care, additional biological reasons might be responsible for pre-eclampsia syndromes being such a prominent feature of African obstetrics. These aspects are important for ethnic minorities living in wealthy countries.